If you want to wake up gently to a sunrise, there are a couple of things you can do. You can invest in one of the many digital alarm clocks that start a simulated sunrise (like PURE's Twilight or Philip's Wake-up Light) or you can leave your curtains open and wait for the sun to shine through them. Taylor Franklin Hide believes that he might have a third option in the form of the LUMI – a high-tech sleeping mask with faux sunrise technology built-in.

Before donning the LUMI mask prior to sleep, a user would program a required wake-up time into the digital alarm clock positioned on the side of the lightweight neoprene foam sleeping mask. An LED substrate is sewn into the inside front of the mask to provide a soft light source for the simulated sunrise, which kicks off about half an hour before the alarm. A user is able to set the light intensity and an included receiver will allow the device settings to be altered via a mobile phone.

Unlike my cheap and cheerful padded cloth sleeping mask, the LUMI mask has an eye cavity to give the eyelids a bit of freedom and to allow for normal circulation. The designer hasn't mentioned how the device is powered but has hinted that future development may include integration with something like the Smart Alarm Clock app.

The LUMI mask is currently at the prototype stage and is being featured on Kickstarter to try and secure funding for manufacture.

One of the 5 current prototypes being tested by LUMI Mask designer Taylor Franklin Hide

The LUMI mask is made of lightweight neoprene foam with an LED substrate sewn into the inside front

The LUMI mask has an eye cavity to give the eyelids a bit of freedom and to allow for normal circulation

Half an hour before the onboard alarm sounds, a simulated sunrise is generated in front of the eyes

The LUMI mask blocks out surrounding light just like a traditional sleeping mask but also contains LED lighting that simulates a sunrise to gently wake you up the next morning

One of the 5 current prototypes being tested by LUMI Mask designer Taylor Franklin Hide

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